Archaeologists have translated 2,000-year-old graffiti in Old Tamil, Sanskrit, and Kharosti script found on the walls of six tombs in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. The inscriptions, dating from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE, include one individual, Cikai Korran, who wrote his name eight times across five tombs, effectively 'tagging' the ancient site.
This discovery provides concrete evidence that travelers and merchants from India visited Egypt and actively engaged with its cultural sites nearly two millennia ago, challenging and expanding historical understanding of ancient long-distance trade and cultural exchange. The graffiti proves a sustained, interactive presence rather than mere passing contact, reshaping narratives about the interconnectedness of the ancient world.